netsavy006 Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 I'm fed up with the Clozaril. The nightly and early morning coughing is one reason I have for discontinuing the Clozaril. The only way I can determine that it's the medication doing it is that it didn't happen until after starting the Clozaril. Another (and this is really gross/bad to mention on a public forum) is that I have difficulty with #2. I have to like force it and it's straining. So when I saw my current psychiatrist for the last time on Monday I told her about the problems and she gave me the suggestion of doing night 1 - 125mg / night 2 - 150mg and see how that goes, but I'm just doing 125mg every night. I will be seeing a new psychiatrist (at my day program) this Thursday. I want to work with him/her on getting off the Clozaril. But how do I explain it to the new psychiatrist? Next step is the new medication to control my symptoms. My only 2 options are Zyprexa and Abilify. I choose Abilify because I like how I feel mentally on it. But there are 2 issues with it. #1. Akathisia - I know many ask why would I want to go back to a med that causes such a terrible symptom. The only answer I can give is because of the beneficial feeling I get from the Abilify. What I'd like to experiment with the new psychiatrist is see if maybe more than 1mg BID of Cogentin can do the trick. Or maybe some other possible regimen. Maybe the psychiatrist will be very familiar with this and find the "magic cure" for it. #2. Anxiety. I get anxiety from Abilify, but it's impossible to determine what's from the med and what's natural because I currently have uncontrolled anxiety. But I did have anxiety that I do believe came from the med because I feared that I was going to have seizures (even though I've never had one in my life). Again, it's the psychological lift I get from Abilify that makes me want to go for it. While maybe not the best possible choices I'm willing to hear comments from the group @ large. Thanks in advance, Andy... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
netsavy006 Posted July 14, 2009 Author Share Posted July 14, 2009 When I was failing on Abilify before I had the same doctor the whole time. I have had the same pdoc for years. I'm just now changing pdoc's because I'm going into a program, but I'm hoping this pdoc might have other strategies that my other pdoc didn't have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tryp Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 Andy, You KNOW you don't actually like how you feel on Abilify. It gives you uncontrollable akathisia and anxiety. Every time you take it, it ends badly. Remember why you're on Clozaril? Because nothing else worked. INCLUDING Abilify. You can probably con your new pdoc into giving you Abilify, but if past history is any precedent, you won't like it this time either and you'll end up unstable. Remember how you were seeing things before you got on the Clozaril? You liked Clozaril before. Maybe you need to back down to a dose that you like. I don't know what you need to do - I'm no expert - but I'm 100% sure that it's not "go back on Abilify". You know me - I've watched you go on and off Abilify multiple times before. If you need to go off Clozaril, so be it - I don't know enough to advise you there - but please don't prod this new pdoc into giving you Abilify. Honestly, if you approached staying on Clozaril or on another med with the motivation and energy that you devote to Abilify, you'd be golden. The side effects you have on Clozaril can possibly be managed, especially the constipation issues, and they're honestly small beans compared to what you get on Abilify. I REMEMBER you on Abilify. I remember you before Clozaril. At one point, you realized that Abilify wasn't for you, and that you needed to stop managing your meds. With care, Tryp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ophelia Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 I'm fed up with the Clozaril. The nightly and early morning coughing is one reason I have for discontinuing the Clozaril. The only way I can determine that it's the medication doing it is that it didn't happen until after starting the Clozaril. Another (and this is really gross/bad to mention on a public forum) is that I have difficulty with #2. I have to like force it and it's straining. So when I saw my current psychiatrist for the last time on Monday I told her about the problems and she gave me the suggestion of doing night 1 - 125mg / night 2 - 150mg and see how that goes, but I'm just doing 125mg every night. I will be seeing a new psychiatrist (at my day program) this Thursday. I want to work with him/her on getting off the Clozaril. But how do I explain it to the new psychiatrist? First, I thought that you said that you didn't realize the coughing thing until your mother and brother told you that you were. Am I wrong? Second, you can talk to your doctor about your little "#2" problem. It isn't exactly uncommon with a lot of medications. Double check with your pdoc to see if it is ok for you to take an over the counter laxative or stool softener. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ehygon Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 give up on abilify. seriously. no offense, but i could probably search half the posts in this forum that you posted in, and it's shitting on abilify. move on. try a typical, they are not the devil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackbird Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 All of this chopping and changing of antipsychotics cannot be good for your mental health. Please try and stick with one. If you suffer from really bad psychosis Clozaril is the gold standard. Your side effects don't sound like anything too catastrophic. A bit of constipation and a bit of coughing - not like you have agranulocytosis or anything. It seems like you get your knickers in a twist over the tiniest of things with these drugs. Im on Zyprexa and it made me gain over 60lbs but I stuck with it and lost the weight - for my mental health because I know that jerking around on antipsychotic is very bad thing for the psychotic to do unless the side effects are untenable. Whats the point in going back to abilify if this is the case? I am risking premature menopause at being on 3mg Haldol for the sake of my mental health AND I have a really bad tremor in my jaw but you don't hear me complaining. I'm just thankful for the small bit of sanity I get Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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